There’s no getting around it for Brett Rogers. No need to mince words.

“The last year has been hell,” Rogers today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

And how. This past summer, Rogers was cut from Strikeforce after a domestic-violence incident. In the fall, he served jail time for it. But the recent Bellator signee believes he has come out a better man because of it.

Rogers (11-4 MMA, 0-0 BFC) makes his Bellator debut next week at Bellator 71, and the fight comes against a former friend and training partner in Kevin Asplund (15-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). In fact, Rogers’ story about just how the friends became ex-friends would seem to be part of that hell he said he’s been through.

Rogers believes Asplund’s wife, a friend of his own wife, may have been responsible for a fire at his house. And after a series of events and questions and blame-searching, Rogers said that essentially was the end of his friendship with Asplund. And that caused a little ruckus in the pair’s inner circle of friends, as well.

“Our circle is divided,” Rogers said after telling the story of the house fire and his one-time friendship with his opponent. “But in the end, everyone understood why I chose to sign for this bout.”

Rogers said after the two fight to open up the MTV2-televised Bellator “Summer Series” on June 22 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort in Chester, W.V., he can probably be cool with Asplund again.

“I’m going to let the world know I don’t hate this man, but I do want to relieve some stress by just getting in the cage,” Rogers said. “I could’ve gone over to his house at any time and took my frustrations out in the real world. I’m a real person when it gets down to it, and that’s why I’ve learned to just shut up and take out whatever in the cage. I’m a professional fighter and I try my best to keep it professional –especially after my situation here not too long ago.

“I don’t hate Kevin. If the tables were turned, I’d have done the same thing. But you’re going to do what you need to do when you need to do it, and why not? We’re going to do it like this.”

Rogers started his MMA career 10-0 with all 10 wins coming by stoppage due mostly to his hands. But after going 2-0 in Strikeforce, including a 22-second knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, Rogers has lost four of five. He was knocked out by Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem and submitted by Josh Barnett before Strikeforce released him after his out-of-the-cage trouble. Most recently, he fought Todd Allee to a no-contest in February, and before that, he lost a split decision to Eddie Sanchez at Titan Fighting Championships 20 this past September.

But Rogers wants it known that despite still having a few struggles in the real world, including the need to take a part-time job with a trucking company, he still can be a force to be reckoned with – and he still wants to make the climb to the top.

“I’m all about getting back in there to prove to the world I’m a heavyweight to be watched for and I want titles,” Rogers said. “After this fight, that’s going to be my goal. I’m on a mission to rise to the top. Everything isn’t always peaches and cream. I’m feeling that roller-coaster effect.

“I’m not looking past (Asplund), but I have to. Looking past Kevin, there’s a lot of greatness that lies in front of me for me to take it, and I’m going to take it.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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